Slat holder and adjuster



(No Model.)

J. 0. BYXBE.

SLAT HOLDER AND ADJUSTER.

- No.579,630f V Patented Mar.23,1897.

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JOHN C. BYXBE, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

SLAT HOLDER AND ADJUSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,530, dated March23, 1897.

Application filed June-22: 1396' Serial No. 596,473. [No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN C. BYXBE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pensacola, in the county of Escambia and State of Florida,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slat Holders andAdjusters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in slat holders andadjusters for the slats of blinds, both inside and out, and has for itsobject to provide a device of this description by means of which theslats of a blind may be held in any adjustment and when closed may bethere locked against in terference from the outside.

WVith these ends in view my invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction and operation in detail, referring to theaccompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective of a window, show ing the two blinds thereoffitted with my im provement; Fig. 2, an enlarged section of a portion ofone blind, illustrating the mode of applying my improvement to theconnectingrod of the slats; and Fig. 3, a detail section at the line a:of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I provide a small plate A, which is U shapein cross-section and provided with sockets B by the overturning of itsouter edges, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and this plate is bolted to thelower end of the connecting-rod O by suitable boltsD, or it may beotherwise secured to said rod. A yoke-Wire E is secured within thesockets of the plate A and extends downward and has its lower endsturned slightly inward at F in order that it may more readily work inconjunction with the locking-spring, as hereinafter set forth.

A plate G is secured by suitable screws to the lower rail of the blindand has in turn bolted thereto the inturned end of the locking-springII, the outer section of which is so bent as to form the hook I, whichis adapted to engage the crosssection of the yoke-wire E by said yokeembracing the outer section of the locking-spring, as clearly shown.

The lower portion of the outer section of the locking-spring is curved,so that when the cross-section of the yoke-wire passes into contact withthe under side thereof this portion of the locking-spring will bearagainst said section, thereby maintaining sufficient friction betweenthe two surfaces to hold the slats of the blind in any position in whichthey may be adjusted. Thus it will be seen that to operate the slats ofa blind when provided with my improvement it is only necessary to forcethe outer portion of the lockingspring outward sufficient to carry thehook out of contact with the cross-section of the yoke-wire, when thelatter will be released and permitted to move downward and outward inunison with the parallel movement of the connecting-rod C, and the slatswhenever released will be held against accidental displacement by thelower portion of the lockin gsprin g, as clearly shown in the right-handportion of Fig. 1. When the yoke-wire is again brought into engagementwith the hook I by the closing of the slats, as clearly shown in theleft-hand portion of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2, said slats will be lockedagainst interference from the outside and cannot be again opened untilthe locking-spring has been swung outward, as before described.

3y the use of my improvement a great advantage is gained in that aseries of slats may be so adjusted as to give plenty of ventilationwithout the liabilty of becoming displaced, and when it is essentialthat the slats be closed this is also accomplished and in such mannerthat they cannot be opened from the outside, the advantage of which'willbe readily recognized.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new and usefulis 1. In combination, a U-shaped plate secured to the connecting-bar ofa blind, sockets formed with said plate by overturning the outer edges,a yoke-wire secured in the sockets of the plate having its lower endbent inward, a plate secured to the rail of a blind, a spring secured tothe plate, said springbeing bent downward and then inward to form ahook, the point of said hook being bent npward said spring being lastlybent outward in a curve to form a handle, as and for the purposedescribed.

2. In combination, a yoke-Wire attached to the connecting-rod of ablind, a spring secured to the lower rail of said blind, said springbeing bent downwardand then inward to form a hook, the point of saidhook being turned up, the spring being then curved out- IO Ward, as andfor the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two sub-

